Applied Mechanical Engineer (3985)

Navarro Research and Engineering is recruiting an Applied Mechanical Engineer (3985) in a remote capacity with travel to Idaho Falls, ID as required. 

Navarro Research & Engineering is an award-winning federal contractor dedicated to partnering with clients to advance clean energy and deliver effective solutions for complex challenges in the nuclear and environmental fields. Joining Navarro means being a part of an exceptional team committed to quality and safety while also looking for innovative strategies to create value for the client’s success. Headquartered in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, Navarro has active programs in place across the nation for DOE/NNSA, NASA, and the Department of Defense. 

Position Summary 

The Applied Mechanical Engineer provides applied mechanical engineering support for a novel advanced reactor design project. This position applies engineering principles to mechanical challenges involving the motion and dynamics of heat, gases, air, fluids, and solid materials to support the design of nuclear reactors and associated systems that operate safely, reliably, efficiently, and predictably. 

The role performs system and component design, evaluation, documentation, testing, configuration management, fabrication oversight, and implementation in a multidisciplinary engineering environment. The engineer must be proficient in designing systems in accordance with applicable national consensus codes and standards, including the ASME B31 series and ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code (BPVC). 

This is a six-month remote assignment requiring 40 hours per week (1,040 total hours) on a 4x10 schedule, Monday through Thursday, from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Mountain Time. Occasional travel to the INL site is expected, averaging approximately once per month for the duration of the contract.

Responsibilities 

• Collaborate with a multidisciplinary team of scientists and engineers in support of a novel advanced reactor design. 

• Perform mechanical system design and evaluation and support project completion and implementation activities. 

• Design reactor vessels in accordance with the ASME BPVC for high-temperature service, including creep and fatigue considerations. 

• Design high-temperature gaskets, sealing systems, and bolting. 

• Document electromechanical device designs, including controlled and approved models, drawings, specifications, and design descriptions for control rod or drum drive mechanisms, to demonstrate conformance with design requirements and applicable codes and standards. 

• Decompose project objectives into defined and controlled design requirements using a systems engineering approach and digital engineering tools to track requirements and design parameters. 

• Apply discipline best practices, design methodologies, technologies, and processes to develop and define designs and validate that each design meets established requirements. 

• Establish testing, inspection, and quality requirements to ensure that technical features important to design functions are maintained. 

• Oversee or otherwise ensure that fabrication, construction, assembly, and procurement activities are completed in accordance with the approved design. 

• Ensure that designs meet technical baseline requirements and applicable codes and regulations. 

• Develop, verify the adequacy of, and maintain configuration management for the technical baseline and assigned systems. 

• Ensure consistent operating characteristics across applicable drawings, technical manuals, operating instructions, and emergency operating procedures. 

• Coordinate with designers, customers, and analysts to develop experiment requirements, complete conceptual and final designs, follow fabrication and inspection activities, lead experiment assembly activities, support experiment installation and testing, and develop integrated analyses demonstrating that facility safety bases are met. 

• Perform design, fabrication, and associated activities supporting reactor operations and experimentation. 

• Perform other duties as assigned by the Lead Reactor Project Engineer or Engineering Manager. 

Requirements

• Proficiency in designing mechanical systems in accordance with applicable national consensus codes and standards, including the ASME B31 series and ASME BPVC. 

• Proven experience designing reactor vessels for high-temperature service with creep and fatigue considerations. 

• Proven experience designing high-temperature gaskets, sealing systems, and bolting. 

• Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles used to produce precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models. 

• Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology, including the principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment used in the design and production of goods and services. 

• Ability to apply general rules to specific problems and produce logical solutions. 

• Ability to combine information to form general rules or conclusions, including identifying relationships among seemingly unrelated events. 

• Ability to listen to and understand information and ideas communicated verbally and to communicate technical information clearly so others understand. 

• Ability to recognize when a problem exists or is likely to occur. 

Preferred Qualifications 

• Experience supporting the design of novel or advanced nuclear reactors in a multidisciplinary team environment. 

• Experience with systems engineering, digital engineering tools, requirements tracking, design parameter management, and configuration management. 

• Experience with electromechanical devices such as control rod or drum drive mechanisms. 

• Experience supporting fabrication, construction, assembly, procurement, inspection, experiment installation, testing, reactor operations, or experimentation. 

• Experience developing integrated analyses to demonstrate compliance with facility safety bases. 

Education and Experience 

Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering or a directly related field from an ABET-accredited program and a minimum of 8 years of relevant experience; or a Master of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering or a directly related field from an ABET-accredited program and a minimum of 6 years of relevant experience. 

The candidate may work remotely but must be available to travel to Idaho as required. 

Due to the nature of the government contract requirements and/or clearances requirements, US citizenship is required. 

Navarro is an equal-opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, race, religion, color, national origin, age, disability, veteran’s status, or any classification protected by applicable state or local law.

EEO Employer/Vet/Disabled